The exact date of construction is not known, but sources say it was around 1725, as Doneraile Court was built at the same time by the same architects.

Newmarket Court, now The James O'Keeffe Memorial Institute, continues to act as a focal point for present and future generations of Duhallow people. Nearly three centuries of tradition and history continue.

Periods of occupation:
Sir Richard Aldworth, landed gentry, built the housee c.1725 and his descendants lived there until c1921.
The Free State Army occupied the Court during the Civil War of 1922-23. The Sisters of St.Joseph, an Australian order of nuns, set up a Generalite and Commercial School in 1927. They also taught music to local children here. "The Convent", as it was locally known, was for sale, due to rising costs and the decline in vocations. The nuns returned to Australia in 1973. A local businessman bought the House in 1973 with the intention of starting a luxury nursing home. After living in the house from May to November 1977, the Flynn family left before the end of that year. The house was then vacated but was still structurally sound at this time. It was put up for sale in 1981.

The Newmarket Plantation 1615
On December 6th 1615, Sir Richard Aldworth was the first member of the Aldworth family to receive a grant of land. This consisted of the areas Aghatrasney and parts of Carrigcashel and Coolavota. The lease was for twenty-one years at £200 per annum. Two years later, July 1617, the lease was extended to seventy eight years, the condition being that within five years there would be twenty families of English birth settled on the land. This started the Plantation of Clanawley, which in turn started The Big House way of life in Duhallow. In November 1619 Aldworth was also granted the lands. Sir Richard was Provost-Marshal of his Crown forces in Munster. By June of 1622, it was agreed that he would exchange his £200 wages for part payment of his rent. This was of great benefit to him as the King had to be paid promptly, but the army pay was not always on time. In September 1622, King James 1 had ceased demanding rent from Richard on condition, that he would continue to be a member of the Council of Munster and serve in the army. He was Provost-Marshal of Munster till his death on 21st June 1629. He is buried in Christ Church cemetery, Newmarket. Sir Richard did not reside at Newmarket Court as it was not built until c1725.

The Aldworths
The Honourable Elizabeth Aldworth (1693-1773)
"Lady Freemason"
The best known member of the Aldworth family is undoubtedly Elizabeth St. Leger. Elizabeth was the wife of Richard Aldworth Esq. Of Newmarket. Her initiation as Irelands first Lady Freemason is a long standing fact in the history of Freemasonry. There are several accounts of how she became Irelands first Lady Freemason. The earliest accurate account of the event is from 1811 in a Doneraile family pamphlet. The Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society carries an account published in 1893 which doesn't add any further information to the 1811 record. Bro. Chetwode Crawley in his notes of the event: (Transactions of the Lodge Quarter Coronati Vol 8. 1895), tells us that there is no exact date of the initiation. However we do know she was a young girl when it happened and he states,"..As the girl was 17 in 1710, and her girlhood ended on her marriage early in 1713, we can reasonably hold that her initiation took place between those dates". There is a very comprehensive modern account in the Mallow Field Club Journal of 1985, orignally published in 1914 and again in 1914. These accounts were based on the 1811 account already mentioned.
From "The Memoir of the Honble. Elizabeth Aldworth of Newmarket Court" published in 1914 we get another account.
"….then the fact that a portrait of her in Masonic clothing apron and jewels, are still in existance must be considered".
There is still some confusion of where the event happened. The account from 1811 shows, it is documented as happening in Doneraile House, not Newmarket Court as people believe.
The following is an account of the incident which led to Elizabeth St. Legar becoming the first Lady Freemason.
From the transactions of the Lodge Quatour Coronati by Br. Edward Conder 1811 we read:
"….It would appear that the father of Miss. St. Legar, 1st Baron intimate friends, were accustomed to open a Lodge and carry on the ordinary ceremonies at the family mansion, Doneraile Court, County Cork….the house was undergoing certain internal alterations, Viscount Donerailewith others, met for Masonic purposes. ….From a plan of Doneraile Court kindly sent to me by a member of the family, it is evident that the rooms to the right on entering the hall are probally the ones in question….. Alterations to the room were taking place. On this particular afternoon Miss St. Leger had been reading at the library window, and the light of the winter afternoon having failed, fell asleep. The sound of voices in the next room restored her to consciousness, and from her position behind the loosely placed bricks of the dividing wall, she easily realised that something unusual was taking place in the next room.

Lady Mary Aldworth (1840s-1920)
Lady Mary Aldworth was born in Bandon, Co. Cork, daughter of Francis Bernard, 3rd Earl of Bandon. She married Colonel Richard William Aldworth of Newmarket Railway Company and was its principal supporter and promoter. Lady Mary was also involved in the development of the railway. She attended meetings for many years during the building of the railway from Banteer to Newmarket. In 1888, she turned the first sod of the railway and remained interested in the work. When the line was opened on November 30th 1889, she drove the last spike into position and a celebration lunch was held afterwards at Newmarket Court.
The Folklore Commission report in University Collage Dublin states that "Lady Mary Aldworth of Newmarket had a dog which died and over which she erected a headstone which cost £30. It may still be seen in the neighbourhood of Newmarket". The dog's name was Coppy as can be seen from the photograph of the headstone.

Lady Mary is often confused with Lady Elizabeth, the only Lady Freemason who lived one hundred years before her.

Richard Aldworth (1741-1827)
Richard Aldworth of Newmarket and later Annesgrove, married Ann Ryder in February 1770 daughter of Rt. Rev. John Ryder Archbishop of Tuam. He was best known for his pioneering farming techniques.
His success was noted in many journals and travel logs of the time. Here are some of the better known extracts showing his advanced techniques. Arthur Young, the agriculturalist and travel writer in 1776 describes the crops grown by Richard Aldworth at Annesgrove as; "..Potatoes, Wheat, Oats,..," he also described his planting techniques and the practice of rotating crops to rejuvenate the land, "…year 1. Potatoes, 2. Wheat, 3. Oats. 4. Oats, 5. Oats, 6. Oats, 7. Leave it for three years".
Richard grew flax, the raw material for linen now almost exclusively grown in Northern Ireland, " Flax is sown in patches and sometimes after potaroes..", Young records.
From these accounts we can see that many of these crops grown arestill common today. It is also interesting to note the growing of flax in this area is now only evident in the placenames with the prefix; Tooreen meaning bleachgreen. A total of 15 placenames including Tooreendarby, Tooreendermot, Tooreendaniel have the element Tooreen in the Newmarket area. Young goes on; "..Lime is the great manure; they lay 100 common barrels to the acre, lasts seven or eight good crops.." Young goes on, " Ireland has few such farmers as Mr. Aldworth; for above 600 acres in tillage is such a business as I have no where met with….".
Further in the same report Young states; "..Mr. Aldworth has erected a bolting-mill which will grind 5,000 barrels of wheat, and it is curious to observe the effect of it as a newly established market: the first year he ground 1,100 barrels, being all he could get; the next year, the present, it will be 5,000. He has also taken pains to remove the breed of his sheep, by buying English ewes."
A later account, the General and Statistical Survey of Co. Cork 1815, by Rev. Horatio Townsend, also commends Richard stating; " Newmarket…..is chiefly remarkable for being the seat of the old and respectable family of Aldworth, who have a large and handsome mansion-house, withvery extensive grounds well planted and enclosed. Of the state of these, it is sufficant to say that they are in the occupation of Richard Aldworth, Esq. Who is justly esteemed one of the best and most enterprising agriculturalists in the country…"

Property of the Aldworths
The Aldworth estate incorporated the Island Wood, Shreelawn Wood, Newmarket town and the surrounding areas. The Demesne alone consisted of two hundred and four acres. Much of the Demense as it was then still exists today. This land was used for grazing, growing grain, potatoes and other crops, while the gentry went shooting on the Island Wood, played tennis in the grounds and entertained guests in the house.
The Aldworths owned several lodges; one located at the main entrance to the demense on the Lower Road, now a two story dwelling - it was orignally one story. Another lodge was located at the back entrance to the demense on the island Road, but this no longer exists. Newmarket Cottage, orignally known as the Dower House of the Aldworths, is still to be seen today. It is located on the Pound Hill, one mile from Newmarket town and it was orignally occupied by the Aldworth windows. It was then brought by Horace Lysaght on his marriage, and later on his daughter Amy Lysaght, Lady Mary Aldworths god - daughter lived there. It is now owned by a local man and is uninhabited.

The Valuation of Newmarket Court
From the record of 1926, W. Marsh and Sons, Auctioneers & Appraisers, Cork, stated; "The Residence Newmarket Court ( at present in a mutilated state after occupation by Military) with Stable Yard and Buildings, 2 farm yards, Stewards House, Gate Lodge, Gardeners Cottage and 2 Farm Yards, Steward's House, Gate Lodge, Gardener's Cottage and 2 Farm Yards, Steward's House, Gate Lodge, Gardener's Cottage and 2 Workman's Cottages". "The lands comprise about 204 acres arable, 44 acres marsh lands and 114 acres Plantations and Woodlands" were worth £4,600. The "Stock, Implements etc…" were valued at £314 and 5 shillings. We get a very accurate description of some of the property owned by the Aldworths from the auction posters.

Aldworths Independant Badge
The Aldworths had s strong military tradition. Local people recall the Major of Newmarket Court who died in 1926. Major John Charles Oliver Aldworth, the last resident of the Court fought in South Africa for two years. Sir Richard Aldworth, the first of the Newmarket Aldworths, was Provost Marshall of the Crown forces in Munster. From the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society journal of 1898 from an article, "On some medals and mottoes of the Irish Volunteers" by Robert Day, we are given details of a badge the probability is that it dates from c.1796".

The Aldworth family Name To-day
The townland of Rowels Aldworth still preserves this once important family name. Although the family tomb in Newmarket is unmarked, there are many memorials to the Aldworths throughout the area. In Castlemagner's Church of Ireland graveyard for example, the Aldworth name can be seen. There are also plaqeus in St. Finbarr's Cathedral Cork City.
Only one male member of the direct line of this long established family carries the Aldworth name today - Robert, who resides in Canada. In Newmarket the name Aldworth still remains as part of the towns history.

Inchigaela Co. Cork, Ireland. June 1998.

For info on the nearby town of Newmarket click here